Oct. 22, 2004
ORLANDO - The UCF women's rowing team opens up its fall competition against some of the nation's best at the prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, Mass. on Sunday.
The Varsity 8+ will be showing off its new look as the lone representation for the Golden Knights. Coxswain Lisa Beltran will continue to guide the boat which features veterans Tanya Kleisler, Kristin Roach, Amy Price and Kate Motes. Together they finished second at both the Florida Intercollegiate Rowing Association (FIRA) and Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association (SIRA) Championships last spring.
Joining them are four newcomers - true freshman Caitlin Pauls and transfers Kyla Smith, Krystina Sarff and Mary Rosser - who have a lot of experience on the water. Pauls comes to UCF after excelling in the rowing programs of her native St. Catherines, Ontario. Smith participated in two NCAA Division II National Championships as a member of the Humbolt State team. Sarff transferred from University of Florida and Mary Rosser came from Southern Methodist.
"We haven't had much time on the water this fall due to all of the hurricanes, but the team is looking strong," said second-year head coach Leeanne Crain. "The boat is moving pretty well given our limited time on the water."
The crew's first test is a difficult one, however. Thanks to the Varsity 8+'s finish at the Lexus South/Central Sprints last spring, the Golden Knights are racing in the Championship Women's Eight event, which includes nine of the sixteen squads that competed in the 2004 NCAA Division I Championship and the national teams from both the United States and Great Britain. There are 42 entries total.
The course itself is three-miles on a narrow, winding Charles River, which features plenty of obstacles like bridges. Due to the enormity of the field, crews are sent from the starting line in 10 second intervals. The design of the course with its many bridges allows for only certain places where crews can overtake one another.
"Every crew races against clock for time," explained Crain. "It is truly a coxswain's course. The better the coxswain steers, the better the time of the crew."
Although Beltran has not rowed the course prior to this weekend, the Golden Knight coxswain has been studying the course this week using video and Crain thinks she is well-prepared.
"We're starting dead last," she said, "but I hope that we can move through some teams and make a good showing."